NHL Rumor Mill – April 23, 2025
The latest on the Canucks, Flyers and Red Wings in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
BROCK BOESER HEADING TO FREE-AGENCY & QUESTIONS OVER QUINN HUGHES’ FUTURE
THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser appears headed to free agency in July. However, management is willing to leave the door open if the 28-year-old winger doesn’t find any suitable offers from other clubs.
Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).
Finding a replacement for Boeser won’t be easy. The Canucks would not be dealing from a position of strength in the free-agent market.
Johnston also cited CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reporting Canucks president of hockey ops Jim Rutherford won’t be disciplined by the NHL for his quip on Monday about team captain Quinn Hughes hoping to one day play with brothers Jack and Luke, who play for the New Jersey Devils.
Some observers wondered if Rutherford violated the league’s anti-tampering rules. According to Dhaliwal, the league believes Rutherford’s remark was made in jest.
DAILY FACEOFF: Rutherford may have been joking about Hughes’ desire to play with his brothers, but Frank Seravalli believes the possibility could be out of the Canucks’ hands.
Seravalli thinks Hughes’ future in Vancouver could be tied to whatever happens with head coach Rick Tocchet. The club hopes to sign him to a contract extension, as Tocchet is taking some time to consider his options.
Hughes has been vocal about Tocchet being the best coach he’s played for. If he doesn’t return, it could open the door for Hughes’ potential departure when his contract expires in 2027.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given all the drama the Canucks have endured this season, it’s hard to believe they were considered an emerging power in the Western Conference a year ago.
Since then, J.T. Miller has been traded, questions have arisen over Elias Pettersson’s role as their first-line center, Boeser and Tocchet could sign elsewhere, there are growing concerns about oft-injured goaltender Thatcher Demko, and now there are questions about Hughes’ future in Vancouver.
WILL THE FLYERS MAKE BIG MOVES THIS SUMMER?
THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz looked at the potential offseason plans of Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere.
The Flyers GM wants to add a difference-maker (preferably a top-six center) to his lineup. It’s unlikely he’ll bring in a big-ticket free agent, meaning he’ll have to get creative.
They have seven picks in the first two rounds of this year’s draft to draw on for trade bait. Briere could also go the offer-sheet route.
A goaltending upgrade is also necessary. Barring some sort of blockbuster move, Samuel Ersson will return next season. They’re stuck with Ivan Fedotov, who has a year remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $3.75 million.
PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James suggests Briere target Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks via trade or offer sheet, or attempt to acquire Matty Beniers of the Seattle Kraken or Elias Pettersson of the Canucks through the trade market.
DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco expects the Flyers will be moderate spenders during the offseason. He doesn’t expect they’ll get into the bidding for someone like Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers if he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Instead, he suggested signing Brock Nelson to a three-year contract as a stop-gap solution.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Briere has made bold moves in the past and could do so again this summer. However, if the intent is to be moderate spenders, that could put the kibosh on pursuing any of James’ suggested targets.
THE LATEST RED WINGS SPECULATION
THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman recently reported that Patrick Kane indicated that he believes there is mutual interest in returning with the Detroit Red Wings. He intends to discuss his situation with his family, his agents and Wings management, but he has enjoyed his time in Detroit.
Bultman also believes the Red Wings’ biggest offseason question is whether they can add a legit top-four defenseman to skate with Moritz Seider on the top pairing or to lead the second pairing if Simon Edvinsson moves up.
Another priority is finding a top-line winger to skate alongside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. Mitch Marner could be the top player in this summer’s free-agent market, but Bultman doesn’t expect the Wings could win a bidding war for the Toronto Maple Leafs winger.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings could pursue a UFA winger like Brock Boeser or Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets.
Meanwhile, the market for UFA blueliners is thinner after the Jets re-signed Neal Pionk. Vladislav Gavrikov would be a good option but Bultman noted the Kings are confident they can re-sign him.
based on Briere’s recent trades, I think it’s more likely he’ll offer sheet MacTavish, acquiring another young player, instead of signing Nelson, an older player
Flyers need a #1 center and #1 goalie ASAP. Also a PP QB would help (neither York nor Sanheim are good options there)
Flyers have needed a number 1 goalie for essentially my entire lifetime. 😁
You must be 10 months old: For non-hockey reasons, Carter Hart is justifiably not in the picture now but was a LEGIT#1 goalie. In the early 2000’s Roman Cechmanek won a Jennings and was second in Vezina voting…in different years.
Any offer to McTavish will be matched. Anaheim has tons of cap space.
Assumption is he will get a short deal (2-3 yrs) around $3M or a longer deal over $6M.
Anaheim will match anything remotely close to that. They aren’t letting him walk for a 2nd round pick.
I dont expect Tocchet to stay in Vancouver, there has been too much chaos. He’ll have a pick of jobs, bet he winds up in NY
As a Ranger fan, I hope he doesn’t. He started well in Phx the first year, and then the wheels came off.
He started well in Van the first year and the wheels (and axel and drive shaft) came off.
Coincidence? Maybe. But the toxic way that Van fell apart the last year would be a big NO for me.
Agree, he is not at all what some reporters make him out to be, cant make an offensive play if his life depended on it. But still thinks he goes to NYR, good luck
Wings aren’t going anywhere next season without an upgrade in goal. Neither Talbot, Mrazek or Lyon are good options
If I am the Devils I trade the Hugheses to VAN.
EP41 is the obvious center piece but I dont know what else VAN has besides 1st round picks.
Jack will have shoulder issues his entire career and yes he is better than Elias
I don’t understand that logic at all. If, as you say, Jack is better injuries and all, then EP, why would the Devs trade 2 top flight players for a depressed assets. Draft capital is pretty much not something the Devs would be interested in. This proposal will not happen.
Because if the Devils trade for Quinn that would cost them Mercer, Nemec+ ?more they would be gambling on all 3 smaller Hughes being healthy for more than 1 playoff run. thats imho.
Quinn and Jack are clearly the best players on either team.
so if this is more than smoke… which team goes for the Hughes trio?
@red
i know i am changing my mind and having conversations with myself…
even if the Devils only took EP41 off the VAN roster upfront the Canucks are rough…. they do have some cap space to find some forwards but…. now I think VAN should trade Quinn to rebuild pronto…
forward lines before trades or signings
Hoglander Hughes Garland
Debrusk Chytil(one hit away) Sherwood
Joshua Raty Aman
OConnor Blueger Karlsson
If it were to happen, and the chance is about 0,01%, its about Pettersson, Willander, Mancini and at least a first. The chances increases if Pettersson has an injury free 2026 and +100 points
EP40 and the 15th pick to Flyers for the 5th, 24th and 25th pick
No!!!!!